Urbana University

3rd Year Female -- Class 2017

Education Quality: A+,

This is a wonderful university. It is small and so the resources are not always the greatest, but the faculty here are top notch (with a few exceptions). This university offers a lot of opportunities for its students, but it is up to the students to take advantage of these. That's what I did and I greatly enjoy being active in student organizations. You might find a campus with prettier buildings, but I doubt you will ever find a small private school that offers as good an education as Urbana does, especially for the price.

3rd Year Male -- Class 2013

Faculty Accessibility: A+, Surrounding City: C

The large majority of negative reviews on Urbana University are the product of sheer ignorance. Urbana is a school that must always be taken in context for what it is and who it serves. It is an incredibly small school of about 1000 students who largely represent lower income families. I myself come from a family that would not have been able to afford a more expensive school. At the same time, I felt that a state school would be too large and I would find myself lost there. Urbana offers massive scholarships on top of its already low tuition (for a private school). This made it the clear choice for me, and for many others.

The complaints about Urbana come from students who want top of the line facilities for a low price. This would be similar to buying a Hyundai and expecting it to perform like a Ferrari. Urbana is not a flashy institution and students who come here should understand that.

That being said, Urbana does an excellent job in the academic realm. The faculty are not pressured to constantly produce publications (though many do) and this allows them to focus more time on actually teaching their students. In my time at Urbana I encountered professors who did their doctoral work at some of the best institutions in the nation. Are there faculty who aren't high in quality? Yes, but this is something that plagues every university. However, the unique aspect of Urbana is that it is small enough that the administration takes comments about professors very seriously (not always firing them, but frequently sending them to professional development). Some people will complain about Urbana University, but I am certainly not one of them. Urbana is what you make it and the more you put into it, the more it will give you in return. I graduated in May of 2012 and will be attending a highly regarded graduate program this fall. Not only did I receive a full tuition scholarship, but I also will be working a paid internship. I attribute my success to Urbana University and would gladly attend there again.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000